What beginner pool tip do you wish you learned sooner?

But we can't effectively control single joint movement? Doesn't compute for me.

pj
chgo
A primarily contraction driven flexion of the elbow can never approach the precision of a multi joint move of which a collapse of the elbow joint is a component.

You will be able to collapse the elbow joint and be accurate, sure. But to do so with touch and precice force control, you will need more than merely firing an elbow flexor.

Also, contractions fall pray to nervous tension. Repeatable forces don't. If you want access to those, multi joint movement is the way. The symphony beats a solo act every time.

What beginner pool tip do you wish you learned sooner?

I've had some piano lessons and drum lessons and this whole idea of "correctly" pushing a stick along its length is kinda silly. To be fair, so is "correct" drum technique but that's another flame war.

Ingrained shit like how you regularly eat - pfft, if you can regularly eat, all affect how a pool stroke will act.

So there, push it along its length, is the idea. Have fun.

What’s going on in Poland?

I saw today where there are more players in the top 100 from Poland than the USA. When did pool get popular in Poland? Where do people play it? Do they have a strong juniors program? Is the game supported by the government? Is it league, gambling or tournament oriented? I think this is a really interesting development.

What beginner pool tip do you wish you learned sooner?

How does moving the elbow do all that? "It's more natural" doesn't explain it for me.

pj
chgo
As I said, you can take a full course or two on this and not fully get it. Movement is very complex. This is why it is relatively easy to program a computer to think like a human, but we are a long way off from programming a robot to move like a human.

The point isn't that the elbow moves. It's that multi joint movement is an immaculately coordinated blending of repeatable forces and contractions. This is how it works in all vertabrates and has done so for millions of years. Overriding that and instructing the body to fire this muscle and then that one will never be able to compete with how your body would figure out how to efficiently make a desired action.

The prefrontal cortex has veto power so if you say to yourself 'only use elbow flexors' your arm will listen to you. If you instead intend to move the tip of the cue at some desired speed without a care for how, the body (your subconscious) will use all the tools at it's desposal to make that happen. Without a shadow of a doubt, it will do a better job than you bossing the arm around.

So as I said, "stroking should be left to the subconscious" is currently the best advice we've got.

What beginner pool tip do you wish you learned sooner?

("Multi-joint" strokes) are more in line with how we are designed to move and how we are wired to organize movement. They provide effortless power and a level of fine force control (speed control) that cannot be matched by primarily contraction driven movement. Not to mention the fact that they hold up incredibly well under pressure. They are in a word, better.
How does moving the elbow do all that? "It's more natural" doesn't explain it for me.

pj
chgo

Billiard University (BU) playing-ability-exam scores and ratings

Here's the latest:

AZB Users Who Have Taken the BU Playing-Ability Exams (with top scores to date):

BU Exam Scores (I + II), III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII - User - Table Size, corner pocket mouth, throat, shelf - Video Links

186
(92 + D:94), , , 100, , 75, 96 - kanzzo - 9', 4 1/4", 3 5/8'', 1'' - Exam I, Exam II, Exam V, Exam VII, Exam VIII
182 (91 + D:91) - Side Pocket - 10', 4 7/8", 3 7/8", 1 1/2" - Exam I, Exam II
181 (93 + D:88), 52, 93, 100, , 75, 84 - dr_dave - 9', 5", 4 1/8", 1 1/2" - Exam I, Exam II, Exam III, Exam IV, Exam V, Exam VII, Exam VIII
178 (91 + D:87) - Ken Cileli - 9', 4 3/4", 4 1/8", 1 1/2" - Exam I, Exam II
170 (83 + D:87) - Marc Vidal Claramunt - 9', 4 1/8", 3 5/16", 1" - Exam I, Exam II
168 (80 + D:88) - Gerry Williams - 9', 4 1/2", 4", 1 7/8" - Exam I (part 1, part 2), Exam II (part 1, part 2, part 3)
164 (84 + D:80) - theUBC - 9', 4 1/2", 4 1/8", 1 3/4" - Exam I, Exam II
164 (79 + D:85) - Mark Gray (1st attempt) - 9', 4 1/2", 4 1/2", 1 1/2" - Exam I, Exam II
161 (84 + D:77) - Shane Van Boening (1st attempt) - 9', 5", 3 7/8", 1 3/8" - Exam I, Exam II
161* (88 + M:73) - dr_dave - 8', 4 3/4", 4 1/8", 1 3/8" - Exam I, Exam II
160 (79 + D:81) - scottjen26 - 9', 4 1/2", 3 7/8", 1 1/2" - Exam I (part 1, part 2), Exam II (part 1, part 2, part 3)
157* (88 + M:69) - Neil - 7', 4 1/8", 2 7/8", 1 3/8" - Exam I (part 1, part 2), Exam II (part 1, part 2)
153 (82 + D:71), 45 - peppersauce - 9', 4 1/4", 3 7/8", 1 1/4" - Exam I, Exam II, Exam III
148 (75 + D:73) - JeremiahGage - 9', 5", 4 1/8", 1 1/2" - Exam I, Exam II
146 (74 + D:72), 49, 89, 94 - td873 - 9', 4.5", 3.75", 1.625" - Exam I, Exam II, Exam III, Exam IV, Exam V
146 (72 + D:74) - djkx1 - 9', 4 3/4" , 3 5/8" , 1 1/2"
144* (82 + M:62) - bowiebill - 7', 4 1/2", 4", 1 1/2" - Exam I, Exam II
144 (69 + M:75) - kanzzo - 9', 4 1/4", 3 5/8", 1" - Exam I, Exam II
141 (70 + D:71) - 12squared - 9', 4 7/8", 4 1/8", 1 1/2"
135* (71 + M:64) - Mooneye - 7', 4 7/8", 4 1/8", 1 5/8" - Exam I, Exam II
132* (76 + M:56) - BRussell - 8', 5", 4 1/4", 1 1/2" - Exam I, Exam II
130 (64 + M:66) - sjharr - 9'
130 (63 + M:67) - StraightPoolIU - 9', 4 7/8", 4 1/8, 1 1/4"
129 (69 + M:60) - Spimp13 - 9'
128 (64 + M:64) - PocketPooler - 9', 4 3/8", 3 5/8", 1 1/2" - Exam I (part 1, part 2), Exam II (part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4)
127 (67 + M:60) - Okie - 9', 4 3/4", 4", 1 1/2"
124 (71 + M:53) - StraightPoolIU - 9', 4 7/8", 4 1/8, 1 1/4"
124 (64 + M:60) - JC - 9', 4 7/16", 3 7/8", 1 3/8" - Exam I, Exam II
121* (63 + M:58) - TheOneGnat - 8', 4 1/2", 4", 1 5/8"
117 (53 + M:58) - RobMan - 9', 5", 4 1/4", 1 1/5"
114 (55 + M:59) - cleary - 9', 4 1/2", 3 7/8", 2" - Exam I, Exam II
113 (? + M:?) - Eagleshot - 9', 4 1/2, 4", 1 1/4" - PM
112* (61 + M:51) - gregcantrall - 8', 4 3/8", 4 1/8", 1"
111 (63 + M:48) - denwhit - 9', 4 5/8", 4 3/8", 1 1/4" - PM
111* (63+ M:48) - kling&allen - 7', 5", 4 1/2", 1 5/8" - Exam I, Exam II
110* (62 + M:48) - caff3in3 - 8'
108 (59 + M:49) - row21097 - 9', 4 1/2”, 4”, 1 1/2” - Exam I (part 1, part 2, part 3), Exam II (part 1, part 2, part 3)
108* (61 + M:47) - JFire - 7', 5", 4 1/8", 1 5/8"
106 (53 + M:53) - StraightPoolIU - 9', 4 7/8", 4 1/8, 1 1/4"
101 (49 + B:52) - kanzzo - 9', 4 1/4", 3 5/8", 1" - Exam I, Exam II
101* (59 + M:42) - 67tbird - 8', 4 1/4", 4", 1 1/2"
94 (57 + M:37) - BeiberLvr - 9'
92* (59 + M:33) - JFire - 7', 5", 4 1/8", 1 5/8"
91* (62 + M:29) - SeanChamp - 8', 4 1/2", 1 1/2"
90 (? + M:?) - EagleEye - 9', 5", 3 7/8", 1 3/8"
89 (56 + M:33) - mamics - 9', 4 5/8", 3 13/16", 1 1/4"
88 (? + B:?) - DrGonzo - 9', 4.5", 4", 1.5"
87 (49 + B:38), 30 - iusedtoberich - 9', 5 1/8", 4 1/8", 1 1/2" - Exam I, Exam II, Exam III
82 (57 + B:25) - krupa - 9', 4 3/4", 3 5/8", 1 1/4"
68 (35 + B:33) - icucybe - 9', 4 1/2", 3 /1/2", 1 3/4"
68 (44 + B:24) - pleforowicz - 9', 11.7cm, 9.2cm, 3.8cm
63 (41 + B:22) - SamLambert - 9' - Exams I and II

*: not on a 9' or larger table

NOTE
- Other scores and videos can be found on the BU Alumni page (official BU graduates) and the BU Exam Challenge pages.

$3000 BU Exam Challenge – Draw and Follow Mastery – Enter Online for Free

FYI, there at 10 money spots available, and only 4 people have participated to date. It would be sad if money goes unclaimed. For the current standings and for info on how to participate, see: $3,000 Billiard University (BU) Draw/Follow Challenge.

FYI, there is an advantage to locking in scores early since a tie goes to the first person who posted.

I just posted a 75 in the Draw Matrix Drill:

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